When supporting a camera on a base structure, for example a video camera on a tripod, it is common to provide a mounting system for supporting various camera accessories, for example lenses and the like, relative to the camera body.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,260 by Ferra discloses an example of an adjustable camera mount for mounting a motion picture camera and a lens assembly on a tripod. The camera mount however is complex in configuration and limited to a specific type of motion picture camera.
More recently it is known to support a video camera and camera accessories on a pair of rail members in which a base mount for connection to a tripod, a camera mount for connection to a camera and various accessory mounts for supporting camera accessories thereon are all supported adjustably relative to one another on the rail members. Examples of camera mounting systems using a pair of rail members are available by Zacuto and can be found at www.zacuto.com.
Known camera mounting systems using a pair of rail members typically do not provide a camera mount which is adjustable in height relative to other accessories supported on the rails or the camera mount involves height adjustment by a vertical sliding member which projects downwardly below the rail members and which interferes with mounting of the rail members on a base structure such as a tripod. Furthermore known camera mounting systems incorporating rail members are typically limited in use to either a specific tripod mounting configuration or a specific shoulder mounting configuration.